Set in the slopes of the mount of olives this Russian Orthodox Church with its golden onion domes is breathtaking.
Church of Mary Magdalene
One of the more distinctive churches dotting the slopes of the Mount of Olives is the Church of Mary Magdalene, a Russian Orthodox church built in 1886 by Czar Alexander III in honor of his mother, Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna. The church was constructed in the traditional Russian style of the 16th and 17th centuries, with seven gilded onion domes.
There are many icons on display at the church, which also holds the remains of two martyred Orthodox saints, the Russian Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and her fellow nun, Varvara Yakovleva. Princess Alice of Greece, the Grand Duchess’s niece and the mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, noted for rescuing Jews from the clutches of the Nazis in Greece, is also buried there.
Photos courtesy of Ministry of Tourism, by Noam Chen
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 120 traveler reviews“Beautiful ”
“Beautiful Church”
This one of the most beautiful places to visit in Jerusalem. The visitation hours are very restricted: Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 12 pm. There is a beautiful garden around the church, fenced by high walls. The church is in the way to Mount of Olives.
“Gorgeous Russian Orthodox Church”
Of all of the churches on the slopes of Mount Olive, this one is the most eye-catching, even if technically not exceedingly important from the historic point of view. Well worth a stop.